Switch ladder sensor for roll-up door

Abstract

A system and method for detecting damage to a door system by detecting the presence or absence of a magnetic source attached to the door system for stopping motion or reversing motion of the door to prevent any further damage to the door system. For example, a roll-up type door may be damaged by a vehicle and pulled from its vertical support guides; detecting this event causes stopping of any motion of the door, such as opening or closing the door.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A detection system for detecting a status of a door, comprising:
 at least one support column to maintain a flexible door in place; and 
 a detection mechanism comprising a plurality of switches configured along the at least one support column and the detection mechanism further comprising at least one magnetic source coupled to the flexible door, 
 wherein the plurality of switches are arranged so that at least one magnetic source is always activating at least one of the plurality of switches for conducting electrical flow as the flexible door moves along the at least one support column unless the at least one magnetic source is no longer proximate to any of the plurality of switches thereby stopping electrical flow due to the flexible door and the at least one magnetic source being pulled, disengaged or decoupled from the at least one support column. 
 
     
     
       2. The detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switches are activatable to conduct an electric flow in the presence of the at least one magnetic source indicating that the flexible door is coupled to the at least one support column. 
     
     
       3. The detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switches are configured to stop conducting an electric flow in the absence of the magnetic source, indicating that the flexible door is not coupled to the at least one support column. 
     
     
       4. The detection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a break-away tab configured with the at least one magnetic source, and the break-away tab connected to the flexible door, the break-away tab configured to be coupled to and move along the at least one support column, and the break-away tab configured to be decoupled from the at least one support column. 
     
     
       5. The detection system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one magnetic source comprises a plurality of magnets. 
     
     
       6. The detection system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of magnets are positioned and spaced apart in relation to one another on the break-away tab so that at least one of the magnetics always remains proximate to at least one of the plurality of switches when in motion along the support column unless the break-away tab is decoupled from the at least one support column. 
     
     
       7. The detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support column comprises two spaced apart support columns, each configured with the plurality of switches a detection mechanism for detecting that the flexible door is no longer coupled to at least one of the support columns. 
     
     
       8. The detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible door comprises a roll-up door. 
     
     
       9. A detection system for detecting a status of a door, comprising:
 a plurality of support columns to maintain a flexible door in place therebetween; and 
 a detection mechanism comprising a plurality of switches configured along at least one of the support columns to detect the presence or absence of the flexible door in relation to at least one of the plurality of support columns, 
 at least one magnetic source configured to produce a magnetic field and coupled to the flexible door; 
 wherein the plurality of switches are arranged and located so that the magnetic field is always activating at least one of the plurality of switches permitting electrical flow as the flexible door and magnetic field moves in relation to the plurality of support columns as the flexible door is opened or closed, 
 wherein the detection mechanism is configured to signal to stop or reverse motion of the flexible door if absence of the electrical flow occurs. 
 
     
     
       10. The detection system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of switches are activatable to conduct an electric flow in the presence of the magnetic field indicating that the flexible door is coupled to the at least one support column and the plurality of switches are configured to stop conducting an electric flow in the absence of the magnetic field, indicating that the roll-up door is not coupled to the at least one support column. 
     
     
       11. The detection system of  claim 9 , further comprising a break-away tab configured with the magnetic source, and the break-away tab connected to the flexible door, the break-away tab configured to be coupled to the support column and configured to move along the support column as the flexible door is opened or closed. 
     
     
       12. The detection system of  claim 9 , wherein the detection mechanism comprises a plurality of switches arranged on at least one circuit board, the plurality of switches configured to react to the presence of a magnetic source. 
     
     
       13. The detection system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of switches are activatable to conduct an electric flow in the presence of the magnetic source indicating that the roll-up door is coupled to the at least one support column the plurality of switches are configured to stop conducting an electric flow in the absence of the magnetic source, indicating that the flexible door is not coupled to the at least one support column. 
     
     
       14. The detection system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one circuit board comprises a plurality of circuit boards connectable by a connector and configured to be installable along the at least one support column. 
     
     
       15. The detection system of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible door comprises a roll-up door. 
     
     
       16. A method for detecting a status of a door, comprising the steps of:
 detecting presence or absence of a break-away tab that is connected to a flexible door and slideably coupled to a support column; and 
 stopping motion of the roll-up door if absence of the break-away tab is detected at the support column for preventing damage to the flexible door or surroundings, 
 wherein the break-away tab comprises at least one magnetic source and the support column comprises a plurality of detectors activatable by the magnetic source, wherein the plurality of detectors are arranged so that the at least one magnetic source is always activating at least one of the plurality of detectors permitting electric flow as the break-away tab and the at least one magnetic source moves along the at least one support column as the flexible door is opened or closed, and absence of electrical flow causing motion of the flexible door to stop. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one magnetic source is a plurality of magnetic sources and spaced apart from one another so that at least one of the plurality of magnetic sources is always proximate to one of the plurality of detectors as the flexible opens and closes thereby permitting electrical flow, and absence of electric flow causing a signal to stop motion of the flexible door. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of detectors comprises a plurality of switches responsive to the plurality of magnetic sources. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the flexible door comprises a roll-up door.